This invention relates generally to article identification and protection and pertains more particularly to seals having theft-deterrent capability.
One type of article identification device having security aspects and having virtual universal applicability to articles is the so-called xe2x80x9csealxe2x80x9d, such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,932. The seal of the ""932 patent comprises a plastic body having a flexible cord (tail) passing through and secured in the body and extending outwardly of the body to a tail free end which has a securement member affixed therewith and of hook configuration providing for irreversible insertion thereof into the body. An elongate electronic article surveillance (EAS) marker or tag is disposed in a compartment defined within the body. The body defines detent structure for effecting retention of the securement member in the body. In addition to the body, the EAS marker and the tail, the seal of the ""932 patent has plates bearing logo/article indication applied to the body to close the same.
In use of the seal, the tail is passed through an opening of an article of manufacture, e.g., a watch band of a watch, and the securement member is then inserted into the body. The EAS marker is rendered inactive at checkout of the article of manufacture. Where fraudulent avoidance of checkout (shop-lifting) occurs, the marker is sensed by EAS systems, e.g., at store exits, and suitable alarm is generated.
Other EAS marker containing seals are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,945,909 and 6,157,302, which are commonly assigned to the assignee of the subject patent application.
Common to all three above-noted patents is that the longitudinal dimension of their seals is dictated by the length of the EAS marker compartment and the length of the detent structure.
In a copending, commonly-assigned patent application, applicants overcome this characteristic of the three-above noted patents by providing the detent structure transversely aside the EAS marker.
In particular, the copending application discloses a seal comprising an elongate body defining therewithin first and second transversely adjacent elongate compartments, a tail having an end thereof secured with the elongate body and extending transversely outwardly of the elongate body and an EAS marker disposed in the first compartment, the tail having a securement structure at a free end thereof the body defining a passage extending from an exterior surface thereof into the second compartment.
The securement structure comprises a member extending orthogonally to the tail and the body passage is sized to receive the securement structure member. The securement structure member preferably includes at least one claw adapted to abut an interior wall of the elongate body bounding the second compartment.
The present invention has as its primary object to provide improved EAS marker containing seals of lessened longitudinal dimension than the those of the three above-noted patents.
In attaining this and other objects, the invention provides a seal comprising a first housing member defining a recess and detent structure and a tail having an end thereof secured with the first housing member and extending outwardly of the first housing member, the tail having a securement structure at a free end thereof, the tail securement structure being receivable in the detent structure, an EAS marker disposed in the recess and a second housing member having a compartment therein for retentively containing the first housing member.
In a combination aspect, the invention provides an article of manufacture and a seal comprising a first housing member defining a recess and detent structure and a tail having an end thereof secured with the first housing member and extending outwardly of the first housing member and about a portion of the article of manufacture, the tail having a securement structure at a free end thereof, the tail securement structure being disposed in the detent structure, an EAS marker disposed in the recess and a second housing member having a compartment therein for retentively containing the first housing member.
The invention will be further understood from consideration of the following description of preferred embodiments thereof and from the drawings where like reference numerals identify like parts throughout.